Friends of the Sangamon Valley

Getting to witness the rescue of a lost and seemingly exhausted young, federally-endangered Whooping Crane from a residential front-yard in Wilmette, IL., today was beyond incredible. Big Shoutouts to Brad Semel from Illinois Department of Natural Resources (who got himself onto the scene as soon as he heard about the bird, and communicated with multiple other organizations to determine an…

Join us for a tour of The Wolf Preserve this Saturday, April 27th at 1:00 p.m.! The Wolf Preserve, acquired by the Friends of the Sangamon Valley in 2005, is located in rural Petersburg. This 68-acre parcel consists of upland forest dominated by red and white oak, intermittent streams and seeps, and eight acres of prairie. We invite you to…

Being responsible landowners is important to the Friends of the Sangamon Valley. Conducting stewardship is just one of the many things that we do. Unfortunately, an unexpected expense has arisen. Robinson Woods is our ~9 acre property located in the heart of Springfield. Earlier this month a large oak tree fell, just missing a neighbor’s home. In the process of…

These lovely flowers attract an abundance of pollinators, including gray hairstreaks, swallowtails and other butterflies. Phlox is easy to grow. It likes moist rich soils in partial to full shade. The long bloom season, sometimes up to three or four months, makes it a great addition to your woodland garden. Phlox is currently blooming at the Wolf Preserve and Gudmundson…

What a great stewardship workday at The Wolf Preserve! Eleven enthusiastic people pulled garlic mustard, removed autumn olive, marked trails, and picked up trash. Thank you!